Research Methods for Socio-Legal Studies and Criminology Literature review

Research Methods for Socio-Legal Studies and Criminology Methodological - Literature review Example This methodological review tackles the impact of a therapeutic boot camp on impulses, attitudes and recidivism grounded on the findings of an experimental research by Mackenzie, Bierie, and Mitchell (2007). 1.0 Summarizing the Work The study covered adult males entering prison in the state of Maryland who were assigned randomly in an early release program as inmates either in a traditional state prison or a correctional boot camp. The objectives of the program were threefold: (1) evaluate whether a therapeutic program of education and treatment in a boot camp environment significantly reduce recidivism more than a comparable program in a traditional correctional facility; (2) compare change in self-reported criminogenic attitudes and impulses between inmates in the boot camp and the traditional prison; and (3) assess the relationship between self-reported antisocial attitudes and impulses, and later criminal activity; and the effect of the antisocial attitudes and impulses on recidiv ism. MacKenzie, et al. (2007) assumed that â€Å"changes in attitudes and impulses may precede future changes in behaviour† (p. 224). The therapeutic programs posited to be the mediators of such changes are also expected to influence inmates’ future criminal activities. ... Recidivism was evaluated using survival analysis. Additional inmate profile information was obtained using self-report pre-test / post-test surveys. Criminogenic scales were administered to measure attitudes and impulses associated with criminal behaviour. Reliability of the scales was verified. Findings of the post test survey and the criminogenic variables were correlated to scrutinize recidivism. The researchers reported having requested respondents to sign informed consents prior to the time 1 survey of their profile, arrest and criminal records, and criminogenic characteristics. It was the only instance that ethical considerations were mentioned in the journal report of this study. Findings of the study revealed that inmates released from the boot camp had lower recidivism compared to those released from a traditional prison setting. On the basis of the pre-test and post-test self reports, the boot camp exerted minimal influence on the criminogenic characteristics of the inmates , except for lower self control. The findings also demonstrated that the inmates from the traditional prison setting exhibited more of anti-social characteristics, less self control, more intense anger management problems and more criminal tendencies after their six-month term in the early release program. A significant relationship was found between criminogenic behaviour and recidivism. 2.0. Evaluating the Research MacKenzie, et al. (2007) assumed that changes in attitudes and impulses among the inmates may serve as predictors their behavioural changes after release, particularly recidivism. Corollary to such changes would be an underlying assumption that the therapeutic programs including treatment and education would be instrumental in working out